Developmental Timetable for Infants’ Emotional Expression

The ability to respond emotionally is present in the newborn. It is a part of developmental process and not learned. Emotion is governed by “biological clock” of the brain and its maturation. The environment and its influences at different times can alter the emotional development in children. Children learn to control and regulate their emotions through socialization process. Emotional development in children involves biological factors too.

As early as from the second week after birth strong stimulus gives rise to generalized responses of undifferentiated excitement. Thus general excitement is the original emotional response from which all other emotional terns develop. During the first month, the general excitement gets divided 3 pleasant and unpleasant emotions, having apparent appearance of differentiated form. The child’s smile is not focused on any particular stimulus.

During neonate and infancy stage, wet diapers, cold or hot touch, rough holding, sudden change of baby’s body position, loud sound, insect biting and stomach trouble etc. are the common stimuli which give rise to unpleasant lotions. According to the research findings of Johnson, Emde, Pannabecker, Stenberg and Davis (1982), the infants display a wide range of emotional expressions at a very early age.

In one study by Malatesta and Haviland, 95% mothers conveyed that their one-month-old infants displayed joy; 85% mothers reported anger, 74% surprise, 58% fear and 34% sadness, and 99% showed interests. Bridges 932) has given a developmental timetable for infants’ emotional expressions.

Developmental Timetable for Infants’ Emotional Expression

At birth – Generalised undifferentiated excitement.

2 to 4 weeks – Interest, spontaneous pleasant and unpleasant emotions without any specific cause.

2 to 4 weeks – startle response.

2weeks – While responding to sucking, rocking, patting close hugging and providing warmth pleasant emotion.

2 weeks – Spontaneous smiling getting stroking of the lips cheeks. It is like a reflex. Girls show more spontaneous smile than boys.

3 weeks – Responding to unfamiliar food, unpleasant taste smell, disgust.

3 to 6 weeks – Social smile while responding to voices, face moving from one side to the other, hide and seek of one’s face.

1-2 months – Calm or excited fleeting smile when they are picked up.

2-4 months – Anger, surprise, sadness corresponding to the nature of stimulation.

3 months – distress, and delight.

4 months – In response to facial, tactile, visual, auditory social stimulus laughter.

5-7 months – On account of loud sound, animals, displacement in darkness being left alone, high places, loss of body support and presence of stranger Fear emotion.

7 months – undifferentiated jealousy emotion.

7 months – Differentiated emotion.

7 months – Joy, elation when they succeed in manipulating some toys, in grasping the feeding bottle, in catching a toy or rattle beyond reach, uncovering mother’s face and visual-scenes.

11 months – love and affection emotion for adults.

12- 18 months – Jealousy (has elements of both fear and anger) when attention of familiar adult is withdrawn and is shown to another.

18 months – Selective affection behaviour for adults.

15 months to 2 years – Affection for other children (by putting arms around the neck of mother-child, and kissing etc.)

2 years – Shyness, pride, guilt, contempt, self awareness.

3 years – Fears of snake, death and ghosts.

Pleasure emotion by the child is expressed through general relaxation of the total body. It is followed by smiling, cooing and laughing response. Learning to walk is a pleasant emotion to the child.

Crying is a common way of infant’s expression of displeasure. They cry in distress because of physical discomfort and pain. Displeasure is shown not I by crying, but also by sulking, running away, verbalizing his/her displeasure and hiding. Grownup children express their displeasure through language, sometimes using slang.